Lubricant applicator, process cartridge including same, and image forming apparatus including same

Abstract

A lubricant applicator, which is included in a process cartridge, and an image forming apparatus, includes a fur brush disposed downstream from a cleaning member in a direction of rotation of the image carrier that moves in the direction of rotation of the image carrier, scrape a solid lubricant disposed opposite to the image carrier while rotating, and apply powder scraped from the solid lubricant to the surface of the image carrier; a lubricant fixing member to fix the powder to the surface of the image carrier; and a first guide member disposed between the lubricant fixing member and the fur brush to convey the powder scattered from the fur brush to the surface of the image carrier.

1. A lubricant applicator, comprising:
 a fur brush disposed downstream from a cleaning member in a direction of rotation of an image carrier and configured to move in the direction of rotation of the image carrier, the fur brush scraping a solid lubricant disposed opposite to the image carrier as the fur brush rotates and applying powder scraped from the solid lubricant to the surface of the image carrier; 
 a lubricant fixing member configured to fix the powder to the surface of the image carrier; and 
 a guide member disposed between the lubricant fixing member and the fur brush and configured to convey the powder scattered from the fur brush to the surface of the image carrier, wherein 
 the guide member is disposed substantially below the fur brush. 
 
     
     
       2. The lubricant applicator according to  claim 1 , wherein the lubricant fixing member includes an elastic blade configured to contact the image carrier against to the direction of rotation of the image carrier. 
     
     
       3. The lubricant applicator according to  claim 1 , wherein
 one side of the guide member has a curved portion having a circular-arc cross-section, 
 an inner surface of the curved portion of the guide member faces a surface of the fur brush, 
 a distance between a starting point of the curved portion of the guide member and the surface of the image carrier is greater than a distance between a point of contact between the solid lubricant and the fur brush and the surface of the image carrier, and 
 a gap formed between the inner surface of the curved portion of the guide member and the surface of the fur brush becomes narrower as the curved portion of the first guide member extends toward the image carrier. 
 
     
     
       4. The lubricant applicator according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the solid lubricant has a square-shaped cross-section with four surfaces, one of which being a contact surface contacting the fur brush, and 
 the contact surface is disposed so as to intersect a line perpendicular to a line connecting an axial center of the image carrier, an axial center of the fur brush, and a point of contact between the solid lubricant and the fur brush at an angle ranging from 1 degree to 90 degrees in the direction of rotation of the image carrier. 
 
     
     
       5. The lubricant applicator according to  claim 1 , further comprising an additional guide member disposed between the cleaning member and the fur brush to return the powder scattered from the fur brush to the fur brush. 
     
     
       6. The lubricant applicator according to  claim 1 , wherein the lubricant fixing member includes a coated blade. 
     
     
       7. The lubricant applicator according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the guide member has a curved portion having a circular-arc cross-section, 
 the curved portion of the first guide member is concentric with the fur brush, and 
 a gap formed between an inner surface of the curved portion of the guide member and the fur brush is equal to or smaller than 1 mm. 
 
     
     
       8. The lubricant applicator according to  claim 7 , wherein the guide member having the circular-arc cross-section includes either a protrusion or a groove along the curved inner surface thereof. 
     
     
       9. The lubricant applicator according to  claim 1 , wherein the guide member has a curved portion having a circular-arc cross-section, a minimum distance of a gap formed between an inner surface of the curved portion of the guide member and the fur brush being no greater than 1 mm. 
     
     
       10. The lubricant applicator according to  claim 1 , wherein the solid lubricant has a square-shaped cross-section with four surfaces, one of the surfaces being a contact surface contacting the fur brush, and
 a center in a width direction of the contact surface is offset to an upstream side of the direction of rotation of the fur brush from a line starting from a center of rotation of the fur brush and extending perpendicular to the contact surface. 
 
     
     
       11. The lubricant applicator according to  claim 1 , further comprising a powder collector configured to collect, from the fur brush, toner removed from the surface of the image carrier before the toner reaches a point of contact between the fur brush and the solid lubricant. 
     
     
       12. The lubricant applicator according to  claim 11 , wherein the powder collector contacts the solid lubricant to restrain movement of the solid lubricant in a contact direction. 
     
     
       13. The lubricant applicator according to  claim 1 , wherein the guide member includes a plating member holding an elastic blade. 
     
     
       14. The lubricant applicator according to  claim 1 , wherein an inner surface of the guide member and the fur brush form a gap having different distances in a longitudinal direction of the first guide member. 
     
     
       15. The lubricant applicator according to  claim 14 , wherein the guide member has a curved portion having a circular-arc cross-section and the curved portion of the guide member is concentric with the fur brush, and
 a gap formed between the inner surface of the curved portion of the guide member and the fur brush is equal to or smaller than 1 mm. 
 
     
     
       16. The lubricant applicator according to  claim 14 , wherein the guide member has a curved portion having a circular-arc cross-section, a minimum distance of the gap formed between the inner surface of the curved portion of the guide member and the fur brush being no greater than 1 mm. 
     
     
       17. A cleaning unit, comprising:
 a cleaning member configured to remove residual toner from a surface of an image carrier after a toner image is transferred from the image carrier; and 
 the lubricant applicator of  claim 1 . 
 
     
     
       18. The cleaning unit according to  claim 17 , wherein the image carrier is rotated by a drive motor in a given direction during a printing operation, the drive motor causing the image carrier to rotate less than one cycle of rotation in a direction opposite to the given direction to prevent curling of the cleaning member and the lubricant fixing member after completion of the printing operation and halting of the drive motor. 
     
     
       19. A process cartridge detachably attached to an image forming apparatus, the process cartridge comprising:
 an image carrier configured to carry an image on a surface thereof; and 
 a lubricant applicator integrally attached thereto with the image carrier, the lubricant applicator comprising:
 a fur brush disposed downstream from a cleaning member in a direction of rotation of the image carrier and configured to move in the direction of rotation of the image carrier, the fur brush scraping a solid lubricant disposed opposite to the image carrier as the fur brush rotates and applying powder scraped from the solid lubricant to the surface of the image carrier; 
 a lubricant fixing member configured to fix the powder to the surface of the image carrier; and 
 a guide member disposed between the lubricant fixing member and the fur brush and configured to convey the powder scattered from the fur brush to the surface of the image carrier, wherein 
 the guide member is disposed substantially below the fur brush. 
 
 
     
     
       20. An image forming apparatus, comprising:
 an image carrier configured to carry an image on a surface thereof; 
 a developing unit configured to develop the image to a toner image; 
 a transfer unit configured to transfer the toner image onto a recording medium directly or via an intermediate transfer member; 
 a cleaning unit including a cleaning member configured to remove residual toner from the surface of the image carrier after the toner image is transferred from the image carrier to the intermediate transfer member; and 
 a lubricant applicator comprising:
 a fur brush disposed downstream from the cleaning member in a direction of rotation of the image carrier and configured to move in the direction of rotation of the image carrier, the fur brush scraping a solid lubricant disposed opposite to the image carrier as the fur brush rotates and applying powder scraped from the solid lubricant to the surface of the image carrier; 
 a lubricant fixing member configured to fix the powder to the surface of the image carrier; and 
 a guide member disposed between the lubricant fixing member and the fur brush and configured to convey the powder scattered from the fur brush to the surface of the image carrier, wherein 
 the guide member is disposed substantially below the fur brush.